Description
The 2016 Brexit referendum was a watershed moment for the politicisation of the European Union in the UK. Much has been written about the politicising and polarising effects of the referendum, along with the Leave result’s subsequent contestation in the media as well as in national and European election cycles. Using media discourse analysis and in-depth focus group data, this paper examines how everyday narratives of the European Union reflect the extent of the (de)politicisation of the EU and its institutions in England eight years on from the referendum and four years after the UK’s formal departure from the EU. We compare citizens’ narratives of the EU to the framing of UK/EU relations in the media, juxtaposing the differentiated narratives and constructions of EU (de)politicisation in post-Brexit England. We find that while everyday narratives of UK/EU relations reflect a declining level of politicisation within the public, with many expressing a sense of resignation and apathy towards the future of the EU without the UK as well as doubts towards European democracy more generally, this often lies in contrast with the framing of the EU in the UK media. While the saturation of EU issues in the media has declined post-2016, the remaining coverage frequently highlights points of extreme contention and conflict between the EU and UK, especially visible during the COVID-19 pandemic. The implications of this for understanding the dynamics of EU (de)politicisation in a former member state are discussed.
